Fire-escape



(No Model.)

B. WOOLLISOROFT. FIRE ESCAPE. No. 324,971. Patented Aug. 25, 1886.

N. PETERS. Photo-Lithographer Waihmgiam u. C.

UniTn STATES PATENT Orrrca,

RICHARD IVOOLLISOROFT, OF STREATOR, ILLINOIS.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 324,971, dated August 25, 1885.

(No model) T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Brennan VOOLLIS- CROFT, of Streator, in the county of La Salle and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in fireescapes, the object of the same being to provide a device of such construction that will enable persons to leap from great elevations into the same without serious injury to themselves. A further object is to provide a device of this nature which will admit of ready and convenient transportation from one locality to another, a further object being to provide a device of this character which shall be simple and economical in construction and durable and efficient in use; and with these ends in view my invention consists in the certain features of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a view in perspective of my invention, and Fig. 2 is a view thereof on the lines 00 x.

A represents the standards or supports, secured together near their upper and lower ends by means of the braces 13 and 0. Above the braces B and 0, upon the inner faces of the standards A, are formed the grooved recesses D and E, which are provided with the coil, spiral, or other suitable springs, F and G, the lower ends of which are rigidly secured therein in any suitable manner. \Vithin the grooved recesses D and E are located the movable rails H and the braces I, bearing up 011 the upper ends of the springs F and G. The upper braces, H, are provided with pads or cushions, in order that if by accident or chance a person in leaping should strike the rails the fall would be practically broken. It will be seen, however, that the main dependence for breaking a fall of this character is placed in the yielding construction of the rails II, which bear against the springs F. The rails II and the braces I are connected together by means of the rods .I, which pass through suitable holes in the braces 13. The rods are also loosely mounted in the braces I, and are provided on theirlower ends with the nuts or other devices K.

L are slats, the ends of which rest upon the sliding braces I, and are adapted to support a suitable mattress or other yielding support, M.

The standards A are provided with the handles N, by means of which the same can be lifted and transported at will.

It will be seen from the above description that the rails H are adapted to yield independently of the braces I when the weight is brought directly upon the rail. IVhen the weight of a person, however, is brought directly upon the mattress, it will be observed that the slats L will bear against the sliding supports I and cause the same to bear upon the lower springs, G, and the nuts K on the rods, whereby the resistance of the upper springs, F, is called into play, and a compound resistance is thus caused, which will tend to break the fall of a body and permit a person to land from comparatively great clevations without personal injury.

It is evident that slight changes can be made in the construction and relative arrangement of parts shown and described, and hence I do not limit myself to the exact construction shown and described, but consider my self at liberty to make such changes and alterations as properly fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1.v The combination, with upright standards provided with oblong recesses and springs located in said recesses, of a frame supported on said springs and slats removabl y supported on said frame, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with upright standards provided with recesses and springs secured therein, of upper and lower frames supported on the springs, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with upright stand.-

ards provided with recesses and springs 10- specification in the presence of two subscribcated in said recesses, of upper and lower ing witnesses. frames supported on said springs and rods loosely connecting the upper and lower frames RICHARD VOOLLISOROFT' 5 and slats resting on said lower frame, sub- Witnesses:

stantially as set forth.

FRANK. WATSON, J OHN GALLOWAY.

In testimony whereof I have signed this 

